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| Alberto Ascari |
1952 Drivers Championship
1.Alberto Ascari - 36
2.Giuseppe Farina - 24
3. Piero Taruffi - 22
(Constructors title not introduced until 1958)
Staging the 1952 championship under Formula Two rules had the desired effect in that it attracted a lot of entries, but it failed to stop Ferrari. The new car, the 4-cylinder Tipo 500, and Ascari's undoubted skill, were irresistible...
"Global appeal"
The Indianapolis 500 was the eight round of the championship and clashed with the first European event, the Swiss Grand Prix. Ferrari and Ascari decided to compete at Indianapolis, but it wasn't good experience: Ascari was 12th when he was forced to retire. The 500 had originally been included to give the world championship global appeal, attracting American fans, but this was the only time that a driver competing in the European series tried the famous circuit.
Taruffi had a comfortable win in Berne in Ascari's absence, coming home almost 3 minutes ahead of Rudi Fischer, who was driving a privately entered Ferrari. The number of marques competing had increased which was reflected in the minor placings: Jean Behra in a Gordini was third; fourth and fifth places went to Britons Ken Wharton and Alec Brown, driving a Frazer-Nash and Cooper-Bristol respectively. Connaught, HWM and ERA also featured. Stirling Moss pinned his hopes on a new Bristol-engined ERA but crashed out on the first lap when it finally made its debut at Spa in Belgium.
"Fangio out for the season"
Following Alfa Romeo's withdrawal, Fangio joined Officine Maserati and his former team-mate Farina went to Ferrari. There was a new 6 -cylinder car in the pipeline for Fangio at Maserati, where he was the senior driver. He had been competing in Ireland when he received word from Maserati that they wanted him to put the new car through its paces in a non-championship race at Monza. The exhausted Fangio took to the wheel after a frustrating journey and made a mistake at a corner. His neck was broken as he was flung out of the car but he survived.
Ascari was unstoppable in the six remaining European races; in both France and Belgium he led Farina home. British fans had a new name to cheer in Belgium: Mike Hawthorn, driving a Cooper-Bristol, gave the more powerful Ferraris a run for their money. He was lying third when his petrol tank sprang a leak, and finished fourth. At Silverstone Ascari led from start to finish, followed by Taruffi a full lap adrift. Hawthorn came in third; his performance in Belgium had not been a one-off. He was fast becoming the golden boy of British sport.
"Ferrari clean sweep"
The German Grand Prix was a walkover for Ferrari, with Farina, Fischer and Taruffi coming in behind the usual leader. It was much the same story at Zandvoort, a new championship venue. Farina and Villoresi took the minor placings in yet another clean sweep for Ferrari.
By the final race at Monza the world title was already settled, but Ascari was finally provided with some serious opposition. Gonzalez had the new Maserati at last and roared into an early lead, but an overlong refuelling stop lost him the race; Ascari came through for his sixth victory in a row. Gonzalez was almost a minute behind, but beat the Ferraris of Villoresi and Farina. He also shared the fastest lap with Ascari. But 1952 was Ascari's moment of glory. His 36-point maximum haul was something that not even Fangio would quite match in any of his five title successes.
The new season was keenly anticipated. Ascari had won six times, while his Ferrari team-mate Taruffi had won the remaining European event. But Fangio would be back, fully fit, and in the new Maserati. He was expected to challenge Ascari's supremacy.